June 2003 - Report and Summary

The month of June 2003 was cooler and much wetter than normal. In fact, June 2003, with 14.08 inches of rainfall, was the wettest June on record. This easily eclipsed the previous record for a wet June set in 1973 when 10.03 inches of rain fell. The month was 1.4 deg. cooler than June 2002, and 9.24 inches wetter. Year-to-date rainfall through June 30th was 29.43 inches. This was 6.44 inches greater than the total through June 30, 2002. The thirty-day outlook for June 2003 had called for near normal temperatures and near normal precipitation.

The week June 1-7 saw temperatures 2 deg. cooler than normal, and rainfall about 175 percent of normal. For the entire week, winds aloft were northwesterly. This permitted thunderstorm systems to form over the western edge of the Plains, and move southeastward. Two of these systems affected East Texas: light sprinkles occurred the morning of the 3rd; heavy rains fell on the afternoon of the 5th. Weak cold fronts crossed the area on the 4th and 6th. These, along with clouds and rain, held down temperatures during the last half of the week. The week's average temperature was 76.5 deg., 3.7 deg. warmer than the previous week. Rainfall was 1.79 inches. Compared with the same year in 2002, the week was 3.5 deg. cooler and 0.81 inch wetter.

The week June 8-14 saw temperatures 3 deg. cooler than normal, and rainfall about 400 percent of normal. A northwest flow event was present from the 11th through the 13th. This permitted thunderstorm systems to form over West Texas each afternoon, and move southeastward. The presence of a strong low-level jet of moist air held these thunderstorms together as they crossed East Texas on the mornings of the 11th, 12th, and 13th. On the afternoon of the 10th, a thunderstorm occurred, which developed along an outflow boundary of rain-cooled from a thunderstorm system which had crossed to the south of the area earlier in the day.

A weak cold front approached the area on the afternoon of the 14th. Temperatures rose because of subsidence ahead of the front, and only widely scattered afternoon thunderstorms. A record low maximum temperature was observed on the 13th. Severe weather occurred on the mornings of the 11th, 12th, and 13th. The week's average temperature was 75.6 deg., which was 0.9 deg. cooler than the previous week. Rainfall totalled 3.73 inches. Compared with the same week in 2002, the week was 4.6 deg. cooler and there was no rain during the week in 2002.

The week June 15-21 saw temperatures 3 deg. cooler than normal, and rainfall 825 percent of normal. The rain event
of the last half of the week before continued, but with a new factor causing it. An upper air low went nearly stationary over Northeast Texas between the 15th and 18th. At the same time, a diffuse stationary cold front was to the south of the region. This resulted in three periods of very heavy rainfall in Tyler: 2:30 a.m.-5:30 a.m. on the 16th, 3:15 p.m.-4:30 p.m. on the 16th, and 4:50 a.m.-5:30 a.m. on the 17th. At these times, rain fell in Tyler at between 1.50 and 1.75 inches per hour, with 3.23 inches falling in the first, 1.27 in the second, and 1.23 in the third. There were other periods of heavy rainfall in scattered locations around East Texas.

The rains in Tyler on the 16th caused urban flooding in parts of Tyler, with water in homes and automobiles reportedly washed away. Single-day rainfall records were broken on the 16th and 17th. By mid-week, the closed low began drifting eastward and weakening, though there were afternoon showers on the 19th and 20th from minor disturbances crossing in the resumed northwest flow aloft. The rain, wet soils, green vegetation, and cloud cover held down temperatures. Readings were rising at the end of the week as an upper air high built into the area. Also, the wet soils and light winds caused dense fog to form in scattered locations on the mornings of the 18th, 19th, and 20th. The week's average temperature was 76.7 deg., which was 1.1 deg. warmer than the previous week. Rainfall totaled 6.82 inches. Compared with the same week in 2002, the week was 0.9 deg. cooler and 6.52 inches wetter.

The week June 22-28 saw temperatures 2 deg. cooler than normal, and rainfall 225 percent of normal. Early in the week, Tropical Maritime air was over the area. Sea-breeze fronts on the afternoons of the 16th and 17th brought widely scattered showers, with rain falling in Tyler on the night of the 17th. A late-season cold front and its accompanying upper air disturbance brought rain on the morning of the 26th. During the last half of the week, temperatures were below normal, and humidities were much lower. The week's average temperature was 80.3 deg., and rainfall totalled 1.74 inches. The temperature was 3.6 deg. warmer than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2002, the week was 2.3 deg. warmer and 1.55 inches drier. The last two days of the month saw dry weather, and continuing below normal temperatures.

KEY TO SYMBOLS:

A = HAIL

B = BLOWING

D = DUST

F = FOG

H = HAZE

IP = SLEET

K = SMOKE

L = DRIZZLE

R = RAIN

S = SNOW

T = THUNDERSTORM

Z = GREENWICH MEAN TIME

ZL = FREEZING DRIZZLE

ZR = FREEZING RAIN

- = LIGHT

+ = HEAVY

The reporting period for temperatures and phenomenon on each day is for the twenty-four hours ending at midnight hours GMT--6 p.m. CST and 7 p.m. CDT. The reporting period for precipitation is for the twenty-four hours ending at noon GMT--6 a.m. CST and 7 a.m. CDT. All times are given using the twenty-four hour clock, and are expressed in Greenwich Mean Time.

Observations are from NWS Station 41/9207/4 in Tyler, Texas. The term "normal" refers to averages from the standard climatic period 1971-2000.